Carton opening device



Jan. 12, 1965 A. BAMBRA 3,165,033

CARTON `OPENING DEVICE Filed May 5, 1963 States 3,165,033 CARTON OPENEN@ DEVICE Allan Bamhra, Elwood, ind., assigner to National Gypsum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 3, 1963, Ser. No. 277,859 7 Claims. (Cl. 93-36) This invention relates to apparatus for opening articleholding containers or cartons and folding the flaps thereof to an opened loading position.

In the handling and packaging of goods, and particularly in the automatic loading of goods into containers or cartons, it is important that a minimum amount of time be required to place such cardboard or pressed-board containers in an opened loading-position. Cartons of the type stated are normally supplied from the fabricating plants to the user in flattened Land stacked bundles. The side panels of the containers are provided by folding about edge portions and the combination is secured by a joint between the edge of the first and fourth container panels. Such joint may be provided as a so-called boxmakers joint or may be formed by the use of staples or gluing in cases where the edges are slightly overlapped. In other instances, binding tapes may be applied to abutting panels to form the corners and to hold the assembly in abutting relationship. The carton end-closing flaps are usually permitted to extend outwardly from each end of each panel in coplanar relationship thereto. This fashion of flap-folding permits the cartons to be stacked flat for shipment and results in substantial space saving. It also results in much space saving and permits cartons to be stacked adjacent to loading apparatus with minimum space requirements.

After the cartons have been stacked they must be opened prior to loading. If the container opening is done by only manual operations substantial time is involved and for large cartons, inparticular, it becomes a cumbersome operation.

According to the present invention apparatus is provided whereby the operator controlling the loading operation manually removes the flap-folded cartons individually from a stack. In so doing the operator picks up the carton in a manner such that the panels are spread apart to approximately the cross-sectional form the finally opened carton will assume. With this having been done, the opened (but not necessarily accurately shaped) carton is then placed over a plurality of guiding and receiving components spaced apart from each other in such a way as to provide guide elements which correspond in location to the corner positions which adjacent opened panels are to assume relative to each other when the carton or container is ready for filling. The closing ilaps for the top and bottom of the carton normally extend o-utwardly from the plane of each end of each panel at this stage ofthe opening operation.

In the manufacture of the folded cartons, a scoring line is normally formed into the carton blank where the flaps come adjacent to the panel walls. Such scoring permits ready flap folding along the scoring as a guide line or path. The mechanism herein to be described is one which provides for automatically folding back the flaps at one end of the container so that each flap, at the completion of the fold operation, is turned about the score line through an angle of approximately 180 from its initial coplanar relationship to its associated panel until it is brought adjacent to the associated panel while remaining attached to the panel at the fold or score line.

Cartons of the type to be loaded have some springiness or memoryf Consequently, there is a tendency for the opened end flaps to return toward their initial position relative to the associated panel. This springy effect is helpful to the operation because it eventually assists in Patented Jan. l2, 1965 the final closure. The spreading of the flaps is adequate to permit ready loading.

The operation of folding back the flaps at one end of the container is `accomplished when the :operator pushes the partly opened container downwardly over the guide means to shape it cross-sectionally and then with downward movement, the outer end of each ilap is caused to come into engagement with a resiliently positioned flapspreading or vane member. With continued downward movement of the carton blank over the guide members, the flaps are spread outwardly from the associated panel at an angle corresponding to that at which the end of the iiap first contacts the spreader. Further downward movement yof the carton blank over the guides and vanes or spreaders (it being borne in mind that the carton panels are generally semi-rigid and held and positioned by the guide means and that the flaps are more or less in cantilever arrangement as compared to the panel causes the flaps to be spread outwardly while the carton panels are held in the initial plane of movement. The spreaders are spring biased and so supported for rotational movement to be rotated about an axis offset outwardly from the plane of the panel. With spreader rotation the panel flap which has been pushed adjacent to the spreader is turned radially about the score line of attachment to the panel as an axis.

The limit of arcuate movement of the flaps is, of course, to a position where they are turned through approximately at to be brought adjacent to the panel itself. This position is reached at the time the carton as a whole is pushed down over the guide means to a bottom rest limiting position, after which the carton may be lifted from the folding device and the flaps which have been bent backwardly will be found to be retained in a position which holds them open but which is slightly less than to a position which is coplanar with the associated panel.

As the carton is being pushed downwardly, the upper end flaps are manually folded inwardly by the operator, usually with two opposite flaps first folded and these then followed by a folding of the second pair of opposite flaps. This folding is also about the scored line between the flap and the carton panel but it is accomplished inwardly so as to form a bottom for the carton to receive a loading of goods. At this point the carton bottom is not sealed but the fold is substantially complete so that when the carton is positioned for loading the flaps may rest adjacent to a supporting base to form a closed member, with loading to take place then through that end of the carton from which the flaps have been folded backwardly.

As the cartons are removed from the flap spreaders following folding, the flap spreaders, by reason of their resilient support and weighted characteristics, return to the original position ready to accept the next carton and to repeat the operation.

The invention as above outlined has been illustrated in one of its preferred forms by the accompanying drawings forming a part of this description. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation in section taken along the line 1 1 of FIG. 2 to show the carton pressed downwardly to the limit of movement over the spreading mechanism and its outer flaps folded back adjacent to the panel sides by the spreading mechanismV and with the upper flaps (which later will form the bottom of the loaded carton) folded to a position of substantial abutment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view in section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 to show the relative arrangement of the guide and spreading devices and the positioning of the carton with respect thereto;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the carton pressed downwardly over the guide means to a position such that the s' carton flaps'and guide means are first coming into contact with each other; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation generally similar to that of FlG. 3 but with the carton aps having been jpressed over the guide means and the guide means carried to substantially a horizontal position approaching midway between that shown by FG. 3 and that of FIG. l due to the downward advance movement of the carton panel and its iiaps over the guides and flap spreaders.

lf reference is now made to the drawings for a further understanding of the invention, the apparatus with which this invention is concerned comprises, illustratively and essentially, a base member 11 to which guide members 12, 13, 14 and l5 are appropriately secured, as illustratively shown by the welds le. The guide members extend outwardly from the base in an approximately perpendicular direction relative thereto.

The guide members are preferably of rod-like character and turn inwardly toward each other at their upper ends 17, 18, 19 and 2i). Under these circumstances, when the -opened carton is placed over the guide members in such location that the carton end-flaps, such as the flaps 22, illustratively, are rst approximately located relative to the guide and the inwardly turned portions aid in fully opening the carton and providing proper orthogonal positioning relative to the guides. In this way, when the opened carton is forced over the guides the panels are spread and shaped with respect to each other to the desired form. This effect can be observed particularly by PEG. 2 where the carton panels 2S, 25, 27 and 2S are shown as orthogonally aligned and positioned with respect to each other in substantially rectangular or squared formation. The various panels 25 through Z3 are usually of one piece of stock folded to the extent necessary to form the sides with attachment to forni the closed member conventionally represented boxmakers joint 2,3.

With the carton having been opened and pressed downwardly over the guide members 1'7 through 2d, the outer ends of the several carton flaps 22 contact sloping vane on spreader members 3i? through 33. The spreaders 359 through 33 are loosely held on support rods 35 through 38 which are secured in upstanding brackets 39 carried on the base i6. In the freely supported location the sloping spreader members position themselves in such fashion that the upper edges thereof turn toward each other. These spreaders, at a time prior to flap folding, assume a position relative to each other which is somewhat analogous to a truncated pyramid. The upper Spreader edges extend inwardly of the plane of the carton panel and the base edges extend outwardly of the plane of the carton panel.

As can be seen particularly by FlG. 2, the brackets 3&9 are of angular shape and so arranged that rods 36 and 33, for instance, are supported in a position slightly above the rods 35 and 37. rl'his arrangement requires only one bracket at each corner for the two rod-bearings. The spreader members 3d through 33 each have a. pair (or more) of mounting clips il and 42 secured to the lower side. These clips are fastened at spaced locations and each has a central opening to form a bearing surface which surrounds one of the bearing rods. The clips are carried sutlciently loosely on the rods to permit turning about the rod against the face of a resilient coiled spring member 4S. One end de of each spring is securely fastened to the rod. The other spring end is fastened to the associated clips 4l or 42.

The spreader members each have a width at the base portion 49 which is substantially that of the :hap length which is to be folded. At the upper or outer end Sil each spreader is narrowed at the region where it is first contacted by the downwardly extending edge of each ilap member. The under side of the base section of each pivoted spreader member has a weight 52 which normally tends to hold the spreader in a position substantially like that shown by FIG. 3. When the spreader is in the FiG. 3 position the spring i5 is uncoiled. ln this position of the pivoted spreader member, it will be observed that the lower portion of the spreader rests against a stop member 68 carried upon each support bracket for holding the support rods 3S through 3S. The stop effect of stop member et; can be more fully observed by FIG. 3 where it will be noted that the spreader 30 in its lowermost position is so held that the inner edge of the upper or outer end Sil is held slightly inwardly from the plane assumed by the unopened flaps of the carton and the carton panels 25 through Z3. This is to ensure that the spreading effect inherently takes place each time a new carton is placed over the guide members. As the carton is pressed downwardly over the guides l? through Ztl so that the panels 25 through 23 are forced downwardly until the outwardly extending flaps, such as Ztl, contact the spreader members, the weight 52 is inadequate to hold the spreaders in the sloped position indicated by FIG, 3. Consequently, the carton flaps Z2, which are scored at their attachment line 57 to the carton panel 2.6, spread outwardly and turn about the scored line S7 as a fulcrum to reach the dotted line position shown by FIG. 3. Then, when the carton panel 26 is pressed downwardly over the guides 12 through l5 to a position where the scored line 57' reaches the spreader 3%, it will be apparent that any further movement of the downwardly pressed carton panel 2d `will tend to rotate the spreader plate in a counterclockwise (looking at FIG, 4, for instance) about the support shafts against the force `of the springs d5 and the weight S2. This results because of the substantial rigidity and firmness of the carton panel 26 as compared to the flaps at the score line. Under these circumstances, the turning of the plates 3d through .33 in a countercloctwise direction against the force of the spring causes the spring to wind and the effect of this Weight is overcome. Pinally, the spreader is brought into a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the carton panel 2e. This movement causes each of the carton laps to turn about the scored line 57 as a fulcrum until they are brought substantially adjacent to the carton panels to be held octween the spreaders and the panels. All four end flaps of the carton are thus substantially simultaneously folded back against the carton panels and the carton then is open completely at one end and ready for loading.

During the time the carton has been pressed downwardly over the guides l2 through l5, the operator manually folds the upper flaps, such as el and d2, extending from opposite side panels and the flap d3 extending from the other side panel, until these flaps assume a position such as shown by FlG. 1. With this being accomplished, the operator raises the folded and expanded carton with its backwardly folded flaps otf the guide members and the carton or container is ready for loading from the end at which the iaps were backwardly folded. After the carton has been lifted off the guide members and because the support rods 3S through 35 are anchored in the support brackets 39, the force exerted by the spring 45 which is anchored to the support rod is sufflcient to rotate the spreading members 38 through .33 in a clockwise direction sufficient to move the weight members $2 to the side of the support shaft remote from the guide members. The weights then act by gravity to carry the spreading members to a position Where they rest against the stops 68 whereat they are adapted again to spread the aps of the next carton placed over the guides. This condition, as above noted, is substantially that shown in FlG, 3. In many in,- stances the support rods l2 through 15 are sufficiently rigid to maintain the desired upright position, but to preclude the possibility of the rods being bent during the operation it is usually desirable to provide a positioning plate d5 at any selected location between the base and upper end of the guide members to which it is welded, as at 69.

Various modifications of the invention may be madeV within the spirit and scope of what is here shown and, therefore, the claims are considered to be interpreted as broadly as possible consistent with the scope of the existing art.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A carton-shaping and flap-folding device comprising a plurality of substantially rigid guide means extending outwardly from a support base in iocations yadapted to correspond to the corners of a carton to be shaped, the outer ends of the guide means being turned inwardly, a plurality of vane-support shafts carried from the base means and extending parallel to the plane between each guide means, the support shafts bounding a region external to the guide means, a hap-folding vane loosely carried on each of said support shafts and supported in a generally central region relative thereto, means to locate each vane about the shaft in a rest position to protrude inwardly of the boundaries of the guide means, said guide means being adapted to locate the panels of a carton to be opened and to provide a guide whereby the carton end-flaps when forced down over the guide means contact the surface of the iiapfolding vanes and bend to follow the vane surface and upon being forced further downwardly the carton panel contacts the pivoted vane to rotate it about its support axis as the carton panel is moved between the guide means and the vane-support shafts so as to bend the carton ilap backwardly about a score line adjacent to the panel to turn to a limiting position parallel to the carton panel, and means to return the vanes to the reset position.

2. A carton-shaping and Hap-folding device comprising a plurality of guide means extending outwardly from a support base, the outer ends of the guide means being turned inwardly, a plurality of vane-support shafts carried from the base means and extending parallel to the plane between each guide means, the support shafts bounding a region external to the guide means, a iiapfolding vane loosely carried on each of said support shafts and supported in a generally central region, biasing means to turn the Vane about the shaft to a position to protrude inwardly of the boundaries of the guide means, stop means to limit the vane turning about the support shaft so that one end of each vane in a rest position protrudes inwardly of the bounding planes of the guide means, said guide means being adapted to locate the panels of a carton to be opened and to provide a guide whereby the carton end-iiaps when forced down over the guide means contact the surface of the flap-folding vane and bend to follow the vane surface and upon being forced further downward-ly the carton panel contacts the flap-folding vane and causes said vane to rotate about its support axis as the carton panel is moved between the guide means and the vane-support shafts so as to bend the carton ap backwardly to a limiting position parallel to the carton panel.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 comprising, in addition, a weight connected to each vane normally to turn the vane to a rest position.

`in addition, stop means to limit the rest position.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 comprising, in addition, resilient means for biasing the vanes following rotation due to carton-flap movement thereover to a state whereby the weights are adapted to act by gravity to restore the vane to a rest position.

6. A carton-shaping and Hap-folding device comprising a plurality of upright guiding components spaced apart in locations adapted to define the inner corners of an open container adapted to be forced downwardly over said elements as guides with the container iiaps protruding outwardly from the container panels and in substantially coplanar relationship relative thereto, a pivoted flap-folding vane supported for partial rotation about an axis'lying in a plane bounding and external to the planes deiined by the guiding members, a stop means for limiting the turning of the flap-folding vanes in one direction to a position such that one edge of each vane extends inwardly of the plane between the guide components so that the end flaps of a carton forced downwardly over the guide means contact the flap-folding vanes, means to bias said flap-folding vanes so that the flaps of a carton pressed thereon spread outwardly as the vanes are initially contacted and, with vane contact between the carton panel and the vane, the vane is adapted to turn against the force exerted thereon by the biasing means to blend the carton end-naps backward from a position coplanar with the carton panel to a position outwardly of the carton parallel to the container panel so that the carton panels and flaps are between the upright guiding components and the rotational axis of the pivoted vanes.

7. A carton shaping and Hap folding device comprising a plurality of upright guiding components spaced apart in locations adapted to define the inner corners of an open container adapted to be forced downwardly over said elements as guides with the container flaps protruding outwardly from the container panels and in substantially coplanar relationship relative thereto, a pivoted Hap-folding vane supported for partial rotation about an axis lying in a plane bounding and external to the planes defined by the guiding members, means for holding the flap-folding vanes in one direction of movement to a position such that one edge of each vane extends inwardly of the plane between the guide components so that the end laps of a carton forced downwardly over the guide means contact the hap-folding vanes, means to bias said flap-folding vanes so the the flaps of a carton pressed thereon spread outwardly as the vanes are initially contacted and, with vane contact between the carton panel and the vane, the vane is adapted to turn against the force exerted thereon by the biasing means to bend the carton end-iiaps backward from a position coplanar with the carton panel to a position outwardly of the carton parallel to the container panel and so that the carton panels and flaps are between the upright guiding components and the rotational axis of the pivoted vanes.

No references cited. 

1. A CARTON-SHAPING AND FLAP-FOLDING DEVICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM A SUPPORT BASE IN LOCATIONS ADAPTED TO CORRESPOND TO THE CORNERS OF A CARTON TO BE SHAPED, THE OUTER ENDS OF THE GUIDE MEANS BEING TURNED INWARDLY, A PLURALITY OF VANE-SUPPORT SHAFTS CARRIED FROM THE BASE MEANS AND EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE PLANE BETWEEN EACH GUIDE MEANS, THE SUPPORT SHAFTS BOUNDING A REGION EXTERNAL TO THE GUIDE MEANS, A FLAP-FOLDING VANE LOOSELY CARRIED ON EACH OF SAID SUPPORT SHAFTS AND SUPPORTED IN A GENERALLY CENTRAL REGION RELATIVE THERETO, MEANS TO LOCATE EACH VANE ABOUT THE SHAFT IN A REST POSITION TO PROTRUDE INWARDLY OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE GUIDE MEANS, SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO LOCATE THE PANELS OF A CARTON TO BE OPENED AND TO PROVIDE A GUIDE WHEREBY THE CARTON END-FLAPS WHEN FORCED DOWN OVER THE GUIDE MEANS CONTACT THE SURFACE OF THE FLAPFOLDING VANES AND BEND TO FOLLOW THE VANE SURFACE AND UPON BEING FORCED FURTHRE DOWNWARDLY THE CARTON PANEL 